Gates Foundation Gives $287 Million For AIDS Vaccine

Bill (right) and Melinda Gates visiting Mozambique in 2003 (epa)

July 20, 2006 -- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced it is giving $287 million in grants to create an international network of scientists and laboratories to search for a vaccine against the AIDS virus.

Officials of the Gates Foundation said the goal is to get researchers working together to identify and pursue the most effective approaches toward an AIDS vaccine.

The $287 million is the largest-ever investment in the area of HIV-AIDS research by the foundation established by Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

(compiled from agency reports)